Doctor entered the room to which Derek stood immediately. His questioning gaze did not leave the doctor’s face for a minute. Doctor did a brief check up, took a look at the machine attached to her side. Sarah could sense what was about to come. Doctor’s brief check up spoke the daunting reality. It was no longer under his control to stop the inevitable. Against all odds Sarah was clinging to the faintest hope. She just had to believe it. And there it was crushed when the doctor finally spoke. He told that her heart beat was dropping and her body had stopped responding to the medication. It was perhaps a matter of hour or even less than that she would be gone. Verdict given ,doctor gone...

From Reluctant Farewell to...

Sarah was left in the quiet room...no the room might be quiet for the rest of the world for her it was screaming in pain ,helplessness ...she wanted to stop the doctor and plead to do something anything to bring her back to life. She rushed to her body. She wanted to slap her ,jerk her body to wake her up. But couldn’t do anything about it. I want to stay with my husband, Derek...

Derek ...oh she had forgotten to even see her husband in this frenzy ,how was he taking it.

Derek was staring in the space with a vague smile on his face. Sarah forgot about her misery. She got really worried for him. Shock was making him loose his senses. No ,she cant leave him in this state. He has to pull him self together. Who would look after him if he becomes insane. She couldn’t bear this thought and hugged him. She shut her eyes and wished Derek all the happiness in the world.

Be careful what you wish for ...they say...

To Desperate departure...

Just when she was about to step back from Derek .She saw reflection of another smiling face in the glass door behind Derek.

No this was no lunatic smile .This was a victory smile, as sly as it could be. She stepped back and looked at her husband’s face. Yes the smile was there. But no he wasn’t looking in to the space as she had thought earlier. He was looking at Zakia, his Zakia. Their eyes were awaiting eyes , awaiting for celebration, for togetherness, for Sarah’s departure. Their smile told they had achieved what they were hoping for.

Usually such a shock would make some one forget stuff due to trauma but may be things worked differently for spirits. Realizing this made her realize something else, an equally bitter truth.

Derek had told her mother “his version” , the untrue version. He had cleverly reversed the roles . No it was not Sarah who was impatient to receive the call. On the contrary she was about to switch off the phone. It was Derek who insisted that it might be someone important so she should go out and try to receive the call.

So everything was planned ...the dinner that day...the unknown caller ..and of course the timing. Derek’s eyes ,yes they were the same awaiting eyes he had right now. Waiting for something to happen and it did. The desolate road he had chosen pretending to stop abruptly so that she could take the call.

Yes a terrible incident happened then a tragic incident was about to happen now. All planned and executed by non other than two people she trusted and loved the most.

Everything made new sense to her. The sense she should have had long ago. What kind of friend would suggest to walk away from your husband for a small argument . A friend who thinks your husband is “too cute for you". Too cute that you should not have him .Too cute, that you deserve to die to get out of the way. No, giving watch was not a warm gesture . It was cold ,very cold like their intentions.

So when did it all start? Did it happen when they met first time ..second time...third or hundredth time ...no it didn’t matter now. Neither was there any way to know that nor did she want to know.She was numb . The betrayal shock her to the extent that she couldn’t even bring herself to hate them. The two deceiving faces had made hate such a small emotion to be felt for them. Suddenly the prospect of dying did not seem daunting to her. Alas ! She understood that Derek’s love was JUST till her last breath.

The spirit laid back in her body and with the last beep of machine she was gone, far away from them.